Redemption Through Fear
by Wesker Chick
Summary: A S.T.A.R.S. team arrives in a small town in Washington state, soon after a new mission will trigger a fear Alex hasn't had in some years. Can she survive or will her chosen path be short and bloody? Part I of the Redemption Trilogy
1. Prologue

**_A/N: First off, thank you to all the Alex fans out there and I'm sorry it has taken soooooo long for a new story. For those of you new to Alex, please bear in mind you will have had to have read the "Memories" trilogy to understand what's going on. _**

**_Now, on with the show and I hope you enjoy!_**

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><p>Alex pulled the towel off her head and sighed at the sight in the mirror. Her once white-blonde hair had been replaced with a mass of jaw length black hair, courtesy of a haircut and dye bottle. Staring at herself she couldn't help but laugh, with her pale skin and cobalt blue eyes she looked like snow white.<p>

Because of Sicily's background as driver for America's most wanted, Alex had gone to her for help. Sicily had jumped at the chance and gone to work on everyone within a foot of her. After Jill's dye job and contacts, plus Rebecca's Marine Core haircut, Alex had avoided her for a week before getting jumped, with Chris' help of course.

"It's not too bad."

Alex glanced up at Chris' reflection in the mirror. At least he was in a better mood than the previous three days. Because of his and Rebecca's background with Umbrella, i.e. they were the only two S.T.A.R.S. members that Umbrella was sure was still alive, neither could be included in the official roster in Dean.

"I suppose it could be worse." Alex said, tossing the towel on the sink. "Could have Jill's blue…she looks like a blueberry."

"I don't like it."

Alex sighed, raking her fingers through her wet hair. She understood what Chris was talking about, he didn't like the idea of the others putting themselves in danger while he and Rebecca stood by and watched.

"And here I thought you'd be happy playing my husband."

Two swift steps kept Chris from saying anything else. As Alex pulled back from the kiss, she saw the love lighting his eyes.

"We can't take a chance that Umbrella is watching. Be happy you're not Rebecca, I don't think you could handle High School again…"


	2. Press Conference

_**A/N: I hate doing these, so unless something major comes up this should be the last one. I forgot to mention, and it is a bit important, there are NO B.O.W. in this story. In fact, except for a few flashbacks, there is no Umbrella either. **_

_**This is a very character driven story, focusing mostly on Alex and her relationship to Albert. A lot of flashbacks and character background in this. It does get a bit dark, but I promise a lot of action later in the story. Not to worry the B.O.W. come back in "Redemption Through Blood" (story 2 of the Redemption Trilogy).**_

_**Thank you for your patronage, reviews are greatly appreciated as are e-mails.**_

_**~ WC ~**_

_**PS: Aaron Alexandra Wesker is the sole property of myself and cannot be used without my permission. As are Sicily Marks and Nikka Bryant. Resident Evil belongs to Capcom.**_

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><p>Several people were standing in the lobby of the Dean Police Department. Among them was the Mayor, Robert Blake. Blake was tall, standing 6'4" and weighed about 180lbs. Shoulder length crimson colored hair framed a strong face, out of which peered pale grey eyes. Women had the tendency to take more than a second glance at him. Unfortunately for them, Blake was happily married with two children.<p>

He was currently talking to the Police Chief, Danny Boyle. Boyle was the complete opposite of the Mayor standing a mere 5'4", with grey buzzed cut hair. He was only a year older and looked like your typical southern good ole boy, which gave him a distinct advantage over anyone he happened to meet. Boyle was about as far from good ole boy as you could get. Most people made the mistake of thinking he was show or even dimwitted because of his slow way of speaking. They would be wrong, Boyle was sharper than he appeared.

Boyle and Blake had grown up together and even gone to collage together, both majoring in Criminal Psychology. They had remained friends once they joined the force and even now took a fishing trip at least once a month.

"I certainly hope this takes care of some of the _issues_ we've been having lately." Blake said, smoothing out his tie. "I'm sick and tired of it."

"Yea well, you ain't the only one." Boyle muttered, glancing around. "Although the new cops ain't exactly what I was expecting. Two of those new officers have blue hair, and that Captain of theirs is…different."

"That's one way of putting it, comes highly recommended though."

Both men turned as the object of the conversation stepped into the lobby. She was tall, standing for 5'9" and had jaw length black hair, wearing a black combat uniform and black combat boots. In fact, the only color on the uniform was the white lettering above the left breast pocket, giving her last name and the S.T.A.R.S. insignia on the pocket itself. She also wore dark sunglasses over eyes...everywhere.

In the last week, since the team had arrived, no one had seen her eyes and had no idea their color. A few had seen the scars on her right forearm, including Blake. He had thought about asking, considering one looked like human teeth, but had kept his thoughts to himself.

"Captain." Blake raised his arm. "Over here."

The Captain nodded and walked over. As she approached, Blake took note of the 9mm Beretta on her left hip and the magnum in a shoulder holster for a right hand draw.

"Is this really necessary?"

Her tone was cool, yet professional. She'd only been her a week, but had already garnered a reputation for being standoffish and cold. Blake thought it was more along the lines of her being a consummate professional and had the demeanor of someone used to giving orders and having them followed without question.

"I'm afraid so." Blake chuckled. "The press and the voters are eager to meet our new police force."

"So it would seem."

"Promise it won't take more than a couple minutes."

* * *

><p>Alex sat ramrod straight in her seat. She didn't like the idea of a press conference, nor having to speak in front of what looked like 100 or 150 people. She and the others were trying to remain incognito, not advertise on television.<p>

She sighed as the Mayor gestured toward her. She stood, giving the bottom of her shirt a slight jerk to clear out any wrinkles. Blake smiled warmly as he shook her hand before taking his seat to the right of the bank of microphones.

"Thank you Mayor. Good morning…Ladies, Gentleman, my name is Erin Kerr, Captain of the S.T.A.R.S. team. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have."

Her eyes widened slightly as fifteen hands shot into the air. Suppressing a sigh, she pointed to a young blonde near the front.

"Dana Starr, The Morning Herald." Ms. Starr Glanced at her notes briefly, before speaking. "Many of our readers are worried about the financial stress having a S.T.A.R.S. unit will have on our small city, just how are you being paid?"

"Ms. Starr I assure you that the financial stress will be next to nothing. Unlike all other S.T.A.R.S. units, you will not be purchasing any of our equipment. The town is only responsible for our salaries."

Ms. Starr started to ask another question, but was cut off as Alex pointed to another reporter several people down.

"Derek Craig, The Dean Tribune. How many S.T.A.R.S. members are there in total?"

"Counting myself, ten. We work twelve hour shifts, so there will always be one team of five on duty 24/7." Alex scanned the audience and pointed to a thin man near the back. "Yes, you have a question?"

"Yea, why are you wearing sunglasses?" The man smirked. "See, they're already trying to hide things from us, just like why we really need a S.T.A.R.S. team…just who are you really working for? The Federal Government, am I right…DEA or ATF?"

Blake started to rise, but Alex waved him back down. Cracking her neck, she pulled herself up straight and cleared her throat.

"I didn't catch your name sir."

"Brooks, Marvin Brooks." Brooks smirked again. "The Western Independent"

A small smile crept on to Alex's face. The Western Independent was a militant newspaper, preaching separation from the Federal Government. They wanted another revolution and thought anything Blake tried to do was nothing but an extension of the Federal Government.

"Interesting. To answer your first question, my eyes are light sensitive. To answer your third question, I am not nor have I ever worked for the Federal Government…that includes D.E.A., A.T.F., or any other acronym you can think up. As for your second question…this city has a crime rate that would put a town twice its size to shame." Alex's smile broadened as she crossed her arms, allowing the fingers of her right hand to hover over the magnum. "We're here to change that…"

* * *

><p>Two hours later found Alex sitting in her small office having issues with a computer. She had always despised the damn things. It seemed that whenever she tried to use them they resented it by shutting down or locking up…sometimes both.<p>

"Piece of shit!"

Just as she was ready to heft the CPU out the window, there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?"

The door opened and Leon peeked his head in. Alex had to bite back a laugh at his long blue black hair. Sicily really did have quite a sense of humor.

"The Mayor is here, he wants to see you."

"Show him in."

Leon nodded and stepped aside to admit Blake. The Mayor nodded, toward Leon as he stepped past him and sat in the chair in front of Alex's desk.

"Can I get you anything sir?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

Alex nodded toward Leon, who quietly shut the door behind him. She examined the Mayor for several seconds. She decided right then and there, there was more to him then met the eye. It was in the way he carried himself.

"What can I do for you sir?"

"Please, call me Robert."

Alex nodded. "Only if you call me Erin."

"With pleasure." Robert loosened his tie, as he leaned forward. "About Brooks, sorry, I should have warned you."

"I'm used to his type." Alex pulled a file out from under a stack of papers. "Thinks everything anyone says means something dangerous to his way of thinking. Not inherently dangerous, unless he happens to find friends."

"Unfortunately, he has some." Robert pulled a piece of paper from the inside pocket of his suit and handed it to her. "Some really dangerous ones."

Alex skimmed the list, already mentally storing the names. She'd have Sicily dig up some files and if that didn't work, she'd send her out to get some first hand knowledge. Sicily was good with the bad guys.

"How much should I worry?" Alex asked, pulling her sunglasses off. "Am I looking at a Ruby Ridge or something more along the lines of the Oklahoma City Bombing?"

"Get right to the point, I like that." Robert leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "They haven't done anything serious…yet. Of course with the creation of S.T.A.R.S. they've certainly gotten more vocal. They think you're here to _oppress_ them or something."

"Only if they decide to start something, other than that they can hang out in the woods all they want." Alex leaned forward, folding her hands across the desk as her eyes narrowed. "Of course if they want to play I'll be more than happy to join the fun."

* * *

><p>Marvin Brooks looked out over the men in the room a smiled. Every man here was ex-military and ready to fight the government to death. They were sick of the Feds telling them what to do and where to do it. S.T.A.R.S. was the final straw, especially the woman. She was the ultimate insult, a suit from Washington that probably got her job by sleeping her way into it.<p>

"Men the final line has been drawn. The Feds think they can send an army in here to keep us in check, led by a woman, a government whore. They are sorely mistaken."

A cheer went up as Brooks glanced at the man in charge, the man who would make all their dreams come true. Brooks was the mouthpiece; the man with the golden tongue…Gregory Jackson was the man with the power…


	3. Blindsided

Alex blindly felt across the table, trying desperately to find the source of the piercing shrill currently assaulting her ears. She finally managed to find the alarm, but after several seconds of fumbling, realized it wasn't making the noise. Cracking open an eye, she rolled toward Chris. It was the phone that had woken her and from the snoring, _just _her. Sighing heavily, she reached over him and managed to snag the phone cord. As she rolled back to her side of the bed, she took minor satisfaction from the phone bopping Chris in head as she pulled it toward her.

"Hello?" She cleared her throat and glanced at the clock. "It's 3:00 a.m., someone better be sick or dead."

"How about kidnapped?"

Alex sat up, now wide awake. She immediately recognized the voice of Police Chief Boyle. Whatever had happened was bad, really bad for him to call her and not to depend on the S.T.A.R.S. currently at the station.

"Who and how long ago?"

As she asked she was already getting out of bed and throwing on her uniform from earlier.

"Robert Blake and both his kids, about thirty minutes ago." His voice was slightly strained, but still strong. "His wife, Alicia, is on her way to the hospital…gunshot wound."

"She alright?"

"Stable. I need you here, NOW."

"On my way, be there in five."

As Alex hung up the phone, Chris blinked awake. It only took a second for him to take in her appearance; she was already pulling on her shoulder holster when he spoke.

"Only been here two weeks and already something's happened."

"Apparently, someone kidnapped the mayor and his two kids, after shooting his wife."

"Nice town." Chris sat up. "I suppose I don't have to tell you to be careful."

Alex smirked as she slipped the berretta into her thigh holster, but it faded when she saw the look on his face. It wasn't just the idea of her being in danger, it was the helplessness he felt knowing there wasn't a damn thing he could do to help her.

"Promise." She leaned over and kissed him as she grabbed her keys off the nightstand. "Get some sleep."

"Yea right."

Alex took the steps two at a time and hit the front door at a half run. The drive from her house to the station usually took fifteen minutes, she did it in five.

* * *

><p>Chief Boyle may have thought the new S.T.A.R.S. was <em>unusual<em>, but he couldn't fault their professionalism. From the time he got the call, till the time he had called their commanding officer, the rest of the team had already arrived and were setting up the equipment and information she would need when she got there.

He was extremely impressed with Captain Kerr's second in command, Jill February. She may have blue hair, but her mind was pretty damn sharp. In fact, the only thing he'd done so far is stand out of the way while the S.T.A.R.S. members scurried around their office.

"Sir, we've got some intel on the possible kidnappers." Jill set a large folder on the table in front of him. "And Captain Kerr just arrived with our _gang_ expert."

"You have a gang expert?"

Jill cleared her throat. "Let's just say, Sicily is a Jack of All Trades when it comes to the underworld. She has something of a…criminal mind so to speak."

Boyle arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. From what he had personally witnessed and heard from other officers, the entire team was a comprised of _jack of all trades._

Miss February apparently had some proficiently with lock picks, having broken into both the armory and filing room. She was at least nice enough to give a report on how to upgrade the locks. Their gang expert had already been ticketed four times for speeding and reckless driving. Given the seriousness of said tickets, she probably would have had some jail time or at the very least community service if not for fellow teammate, Nikka Thompson. According to the District Attorney, the woman knew more about law than he did, which was quite a feat given his almost spotless track record.

Mark's brother was the best shot in the entire department and was a permanent lone to the small S.W.A.T. team as a sniper. Claire Kerr, the Captain's sister, was on lone to the precinct's motorcycle division. Billy Rydal and Ark Bryant were recently put in charge of the two choppers, having proved they could be maneuvered around the city without knocking over any light poles. Carlos Martinez had been facing sexual harassment charges, from at least twenty women, when they were suddenly withdrawn.

Then there was the Captain, Erin Kerr. She was a mystery to everyone. Boyle had read the file he'd received from Dennis Walls, head of S.T.A.R.S. According to it, she had been with the organization since graduating from the police academy in Raccoon City, seven years ago. But Boyle would bet dollars to donuts that girl was not anywhere near twenty-seven and thought it likely she was more in the range of twenty to twenty-three. Plus, some of the combat skills she'd learned, observed by more than one officer in the precinct gym, didn't quite fall into anything he had ever heard about being taught in either a Police Academy or in S.T.A.R.S. training. Plus there was a rumor, started by a reliable officer that had apparently observed the Captain jogging one morning in a tank top and cut-off sweat pants, that she had some wicked scars. Scars, apparently, that didn't resemble any weapon he had ever heard of. Of course no one had actually asked and Kerr either didn't know about the rumors, or wasn't bothering to comment on them.

However, Boyle didn't really give a damn about all of the rumors and innuendos floating around about the new S.T.A.R.S. unit and its tightlipped Captain. All he cared about was getting the Mayor and his kids back in one piece. If that meant trusting a bunch of very strange people, so be it.

As Boyle was resigning his fate, and the fate of his best friend, to the hands of a bunch of weirdoes and possible felons, Captain Kerr came into the office. She was followed closely by Sicily Marks, who was carrying a think file and was speaking rather rapidly.

"From what I've heard on the streets, I'm placing a huge bet on this asshole and his little group."

"Are you sure?" Kerr asked, her voice icy. "There is a lot riding on this Sicily."

"I'm sure, only group that has the manpower, balls, and backing to pull off something like this. Guy in charge is a heavy anti-government player and seems to really…_really…_not like you."

"There's a long line for that, he'll have to take a number." She muttered taking the folder from Sicily as she stopped next to Boyle. "Sir, we have an I.D. on the kidnappers and a possible location of their hideout."

"So I hear, care to compare notes?"

Boyle held up the file Jill had given him, a witness report from Alicia Blake. She was in I.C.U. but had been aware enough to give the detectives a description of her attackers.

"According to Mrs. Blake, one of the kidnappers masks was pulled off during the struggle. Right before he shot her, I might add. She positively identified him as…David Jackson. I'm not sure if you're aware, but…"

"He's Gregory Jackson's youngest brother. I'm aware." Kerr laid out he file on the table and pulled out several sheets of paper. "I've had Sicily watching the Jackson brothers since Mr. Blake brought them to my attention. There had been a rumor going around about something big, we just weren't aware it would be happening this soon."

"We've heard the same." Boyle nodded grimly. "I think Blake bringing you guys in, tipped the scales. Especially you, he doesn't hold a very high opinion of women. You being in a position of power probably sent him screeching to the choir about how evil the government is."

"I do have that effect on people." Kerr pushed her sunglasses up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "But he jumped the gun on this one, I don't think he was fully prepared for it. Sure, they've been planning it a while, but I have a feeling they weren't quite ready yet."

"They were waiting on something?"

"Someone." Sicily said, pulling out a sheet of paper. "Matthew Jackson, Gregory's older brother."

"Bad kid, that one. Gregory is the brains, David is the flunky, and Matthew is the muscle." Boyle shook his head. "In jail for life without parole, for killing two cops…two _female _cops."

"Well, he's not in jail anymore." Kerr handed him a teletype. "Escaped late last night. I'm betting that was what Gregory was waiting for, except he got antsy and kidnapped the Mayor before big brother arrived. Which leads us to a chance of getting them back before big brother gets here."

"It would certainly work better for us if we could, Matt is a sociopath with a hatred for women and authority." Boyle looked at Kerr, his eyes boring into hers. "He won't like you in charge, one little bit."

"He'll like it even less when I slap his ass back in jail. First things first though, we get the Mayor and his kids back _before _ Matthew shows up to help Gregory out." She pulled a map of Washington state out from under the files and smoothed it out across the table. "He escaped about an hour before the kidnapping and given the distance we have maybe…two hours before he gets here. Sicily you're my car person, that about right."

Sicily scanned over the map, looking deep in thought. Boyle glanced at Kerr, wondering where she got her confidence from. The fact that Matthew Jackson had tortured and killed two female officers didn't even seem to phase her. In fact her entire concern seem to lay with the Mayor and his children. Though he couldn't fault her drive, he had to wonder what she had been through that would make a man like Matthew seem like nothing.

"Two if we're lucky and he didn't find a fast car." Sicily ran her finger along the quickest route from the State Penitentiary to Dean. "One if he managed to find a good car…thirty minutes if he found a great car and hasn't had anything to block his way."

"Then I suggest we get our shit together and not take longer than twenty minutes to get our asses out to where the bad guys are playing house."

As Kerr pushed a map toward Boyle her team kicked it up a notch and started finish touches on whatever they had been doing before the Captain showed up. Boyle's eyes strayed from the now rushing team to a point on the map Kerr was circling with a red marker.

"Chief, I need to know everything about the Laural Mine you can tell me."


	4. Into the Mouth of Darkness

Alex looked over the map of the mine, spread across the hood of jeep. She was not happy, from the look of the seven or so maps of this place, there were multiple exits and entrances. There was almost no tactical advantage for her and her team, that all seemed to rest with the bad guys at the moment. The only thing they had going for them was training and an element of surprise.

According to all the records and information Sicily was able to obtain, most, if not all, of Gregory's people were untrained and not too bright. The hardcore militia weren't interested in his way of doing things and stayed away. A point for Alex, which didn't seem to make her fell any better.

When it came down to it…Alex just didn't like small spaces.

"Alright, from the look of things here…" Alex gestured toward a large open space on the map. "…is where they'll be holed up. It's deep enough to give them a sense of safety but it's at a crossroads of tunnels. Meaning a lot of escape routes."

As Alex trailed off, her eyes scrutinizing the map, Sicily came to a stop just behind her. She was covered in dirt and breathing heavily, but still wearing her trademark smile.

"Sir, I found them."

"Where?"

"Right where we figured." Sicily pointed to the map. "They've got roughly ten men in there, including Gregory and his little brother. Doesn't look like Matt has shown his face yet. The Mayor and his daughter are here."

Sicily snatched a pen from the hood and marked an X near one of the connecting tunnels. She then marked a second X near another tunnel.

"The son is here."

Alex looked at the connecting tunnels, the Xs for the hostages, and the points were Sicily had indicated the manpower. Already a plan was forming.

"Alright, here's the plan. Leon, I want you near the mouth of the main tunnel with Sicily as cover fire. She knows all the good spots to hide, find a good location and set up. Claire, Nikita, Jill, I want you three to grab for the Mayor and the daughter. Ark, Carlos, and Billy, each of you will take a separate entrance to each of the main three tunnel, that way we'll have the exits covered. I'll take the third tunnel by the boy."

"Aren't you going to want a bit of help?" Jill looked over the map. "I don't feel very comfortable having you go in there alone."

"According to the Chief, that tunnel is very narrow, it was apparently used for mainly storage before they widened it to keep mining. That means there is barely going to be enough room for the kid and his rescuer, let alone any backup. Given my training, I'm the best choice to actually go it alone. Besides, Billy will be at the main shaft opening."

"Still." Jill shrugged, shivering in the kool wind.

Alex glanced up, letting her glasses slip down so she could make eye contact with Jill. Jill nodded, understanding that there was no way Alex was going to send anyone but herself. Slowly Alex pushed her glasses up with her index finger.

"We have five minutes, then we move."

* * *

><p><strong>Several minutes later…<strong>

Alex slowed to a stop several steps from the end of the tunnel. She was breathing heavly and sweat trickled into her face. She didn't like enclosed space, simple but true. The smell of dirt and dampness made her nervous. She brushed at it absently at the sweat on her forward, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. Now was no the time to fall apart.

Voices echoed toward her as she crept closer. Inching her way toward the opening, she spotted the mayor tied to a chair near the far tunnel opening, his daughter was sitting next to him. Her face was smudged with dirt and you could see where she'd been crying. Alex couldn't see the boy from here, but judging from the voices he was close to her. Carefully, she reached up and touched the mike at her throat.

"Kerr, in position, over." She whispered. She had to be careful to remember everyone's alias, including her own, the chief was listening. "Give me a check on positions."

"Marks team in position."

"February team in position."

"Bryant in position."

"Rydell in position."

"Martinez in position."

Alex ticked off the names in her head as the teams called in. Marks Team was Leon and his sister. February was Jill, Claire, and Nikita. Bryant was Ark, Rydell was Billy, and Martinez was Carlos. Everybody was in position, they were just waiting for her signal.

"Sicily, give me confirmation on the boy."

"Confirmed, two feet to the right of the tunnel entrance."

"Copy, on my mark…3…2…1…" Alex took a deep breath and flipped the safety off her MP-5 "…MOVE!"

Gunfire echoed in the cave and Alex hit the tunnel entrance. She slid to her right, ducking a swing from one of the captors. She brought her left had around and caught him in the back of the knee, as he went down, she clocked him in the side of the head with the butt of her MP-5.

She glanced up as two men ran toward her, guns drawn. As she swung the gun up, two loud _craaacks_ flared behind her. The men slowed and toppeled over. She didn't bother to glance at Leon, he was doing his job.

She slid up next to the boy, no more than sixteen, and yanked a combat knife out of her boot. She sliced through the ropes easily and yanked him out of the chair by the back of his tee-shirt.

"Come on kid, time to go."

She pushed him toward the tunnel, firing behind her at several men ducked behind some crates. She glanced to the left and saw Jill's team had already grabbed the mayor and his daughter and were starting to retreat down the tunnel. Alex and her own rescue were just inside the tunnel when Sicily screamed over the radio loud enough to make Alex's ears bleed.

"DYNAMITE…EVERYBODY OUT!"

Alex pushed the kid ahead of her, trying to run in the narrow tunnel. The ceailing was too low, which meant that neither one of them could manage more than a fast hunched walk. They weren't even halfway out when the explosion rocked the tunnel.

Alex heard the rocks coming down, before she say them falling. The ground shook, spilling them both to the floor.

"CRAWL DAMN IT!"

Alex pushed the boy forward, as rocks crashed down around them. Her heart was pounding so fast, it felt like it was going to come right out of her chest. All she could think about was getting out of here and not being buried alive.

Suddenly something slammed into the base of her neck. Her hands slipped out from under her and she hit the ground with a thud. Stars flashed in front of her eyes, as the ground began to shake…then darkness…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_I am sooooo sorry this took this long. You wouldn't think it would be that hard to collapse a tunnel but I just got stuck! _

_~ WC ~_


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